All babies are different, but there’s one thing they do have in common: they grow very quickly!

Before you know it, you’re onto the next size up and those gorgeous newborn clothes you picked out when you were pregnant only fitted for a few weeks. While it’s exciting that your baby is developing, it’s sad to just pile up those first special clothes to gather dust at the back of a cupboard. If you choose not to sell your baby’s first clothes, there are plenty of other things you can do with them, to turn them into useful keepsake items. Here are just a few ideas.

Quilt

If you can sew, you can make a patchwork quilt. It will take a while to complete, but is a fun project to undertake and you will get a real sense of achievement when it’s finished. Check out your local library for instructional books on quilting for beginners. If you’re not confident perhaps you have a friend or family member who would be willing to make the quilt for you as a present for your little one.

Toys

Stuffed toys, such as teddies, made out of patchwork pieces of baby clothes are extremely popular at the moment. Again, you need to have a basic grasp of sewing and a pattern (from a book or the internet). However there are many companies who will make bears for you if you’re not confident to try it yourself. Searching for “memory bears” brings up plenty of websites offering this.

Dolly Clothes

If your child likes dolls, many of her very first clothes might be just right to dress her doll up in. This is a great way for your little one to get some extra use out of her tiny newborn outfits. Many baby sized coats and hats also make great outfits for teddy bears.

Bunting

Children love bunting; it is fun and looks so much better than a bare wall in a nursery. If you cut the clothes into triangles (make a template first to ensure they are all the same size) you can sew them onto a length of ribbon to make a bright and unique decoration for your baby’s room.

Photo Album Covers

Making a cover for a photo album is a creative way to re-use old baby clothes. A simple way to do this is with three pieces of fabric. One should be slightly larger than the outside of the album, attach it with spray adhesive, folding the ends over and gluing them. The other two pieces should be glued to cardboard which is cut to fit the inside covers of the album, again folding the excess over. These two pieces of fabric covered card can then be glued inside the album to hide the folded pieces of fabric from the outside of the cover. If you have a large album and are feeling creative, you could make the cover using a patchwork of various baby clothes.